Poetry > Lady of the lake

LADY OF THE LAKE.
7
my surname, I acknowledge that my confidence
was considerably shaken by the warning of her
excellent taste and unbiassed friendship. Nor was
I much comforted by her retractation of the unfa¬
vourable judgment, when I recollected how likely
a natural partiality was to effect that change of
opinion. In such cases, affection rises like a light
on the canvas, improves any favourable tints
which it formerly exhibited, and throws its defects
into the shade.
I remember that about the same time a friend
started in to “heeze up my hope,” like the “sports¬
man with his cutty gun,” in the old song. He
was bred a farmer, but a man of powerful under¬
standing, natural good taste, and warm poetical
feeling, perfectly competent to supply the wants
of an imperfect or irregular education. He was a
passionate admirer of field-sports, which we often
pursued together.
As this friend happened to dine with me at
Ashesteil one day, I took the opportunity of read¬
ing to him the first canto of “ The Lady of the
Lake,” in order to ascertain the effect the poem
was likely to produce upon a person who was but